Fabric-cutting machine.



F.'CHATFIELD.

FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE. uPLlcAjlon msn nzcfn. |915.

1,243,673, v Patented-oww, 19u.

e SHEETS-SHEET @nwe/vaya y vI". CHATFIELD.

FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE. APPucmoN mso nic. 14. m5.

Patented 00L 16,1917;

F. CHAFIELD. FABRIC curlNG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. I4. 19;!5.

Patented 00u16, 1917.

` #ben/Ens v Patented' 001,165,191?.

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F. CHATFIELD.

FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I4. 19I5.

1,243,673. Y Patenma OCI. 16, 1m 7.

6 SHEETS-fSHEET 6.

2 I J8 f2 frm/Infra FRANKLIN CHATFIELD, F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FABRIC-CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification `of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

Application med lDecember 14, 1915. .Serial No. 86,761.

VTo all whom it may concern.'

nesota, have invented certain new and useful' Improvements in Fabric-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification. i

` The object of my invention is to provide l a machine for feeding strips of knit fabric and cutting it into lengths suitable to `form the cuffs of a knit garment.

A 'further' object is to provide a machine in which the feeding of the fabric or severing of it at predetermined intervals andthe stacking of the severed pieces into piles, each containing ya predetermined number of pieces, can be automatically and expeditiously performed.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as'hereinafter described ,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side view'vof av fabric feeding machine embodying my invention,

partly in section,

Fig. 2 is a vertical' sectional view of the delivery end of the machine,

Fig. 3 is a vplan sectional View of the same,

Fig. 4, is a mechanism, Y r i r Figs. 5, 6 and 47 are detail sectional views showing the successivev steps in the feeding and severing operation,

Figs. '8` and 9 are detail sectional views plan 'view of the severing of the severing knife, showing its normal `position and the position 1t assumes durlng the severing operation,

Fig. l() is a detail sectional view showing i .the preferred manner of mounting the knife to permit of lateral movement thereof,

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view, showing the step 4by step mechanism for operating the belt upon which the pieces of fabric fare deposited,

Fig. 12 is a detail view of the. supporting device to .which the pieces of fabric are delivered `and the means for vadjusting this device to adapt it for different lengths of thc fabric pieces.

Figs. 13 and .14. are detail sectional views of the mechanism for changing the stroke shown rear edge of the plate 20.

of the feeder to accommodate it to the different lengths of the fabric strip.

- In the drawing, 2 represents the frame of the machine, supporting a suitable feed table 3 over which the fabric is fed to the severing mechanism. A friction roll 4'l is supported by brackets 5 upon said frame. VAn arm 6 is carried by said brackets and extends above said ro'll and is provided with a rod 7 over which the fabric strip 8 is passed and from thence carried under the roll to the feed table.- A rod 9 has arms 10 loosely mounted on the rod 7 and adapted For the purpose of increasing or decreasl ing `the resistance of the roll 1l to the pull of the fabric and thereby regulate the feed, I prefer to provide a sheave 4. connectedA to the roll 4 and having a cable 5 attached at one` end to the arm 6 and passing over the sheave toa suitable connection on the machine frame. `This connection is capableV of adjustment to increase or decrease the tension of the cable 5 and the friction between it and the sheave, thereby regulating the feed of the. fabric.

12 i s.a driven shaft, having a gear 13 meshing with a pinion la of a drive shaft 15 that is operated from a suitable source of power', not shown. 16 isa shaft, parallel with the shaft l2 and on which a hub 17 is centrally mounted. Arms 18 are carried by this hub and vproject upwardly therefrom to-straddleithe feed table 3. A carrier 19 is pivotally supported upon the ends 4of the arms 18 above the feed table and a plate 20 is seated on said carrier and rad-` justable thereon by means of bolts 21 and' adjusting screws 22 mounted-to engage the A feeder blade 23 is secured to the forward edge of the feed plate and is preferably provided with serrated Yedge 24 to engage the rib or raised areaformed at intervals in the fabric and `feed it to the severing mechanism.' These ribs are-knit in the fabric and provision is made, as will subsequently appear, for severing the fabric "u close up to the ribs so that when the cuffs I the advance portion 'provide lare put on the garment, the ribs will form the outer edge or selvage. This feeding and severing operation will be subsequently described more in detail.

It is desirable in a rfeeding device of this kind to provide means for varying Ithe stroke of the feeder and to accomplish this I prefer to employ the following mechanism: 25 represents the hubpl? and having longitudinal slots 26 therein. 27 is a shaft, parallel 'with the shaft 16 and beneath the same and on which an upwardly projecting arm 28 is mounted, havingl a longitudinal slot 29 corresponding tothe slot 26. The arm 28 projects between the arms 25 and blocks'30 are mounted to slide in the slots 26 and 29 in said.

arms and are connected to one another by a pin 31. A fork 32 is mounted on said pm between the arms 25 and a screw 33 has a threaded engagement with an arm 34 on'the hub 17 and is connected with the fork 32 for moving the'pin 31 back 1and forth and varying the distance between the hubV 17 and the connection of the arm 28 with the arms 25 to vary the stroke 'of the feeder supporting arms 18. An anti-friction roller 35 is mounted on the arm 38 in position to engage the cam 36 on the shaft 12. Revolution of this cam will impart a rocking movement to the feeder arms to move the feeder over Athe'table and advance the fabric. Springs 37 are provided in connection with the hub 17 for holding the roller 35 against the face of the cam and returning the feeder to the beginning of its stroke.

The movement of that the stroke of the feeder corresponds substantially to the distance ofthe fabric between the ribs or raised portions, so that when the feeder is drawn backward after of its stroke, it will slide over a rib and be inposition to engage it and feed the fabric as soon as forward movement is begun, andY through the medium of the tension device at the receiving table heretofore described,

of the fabric will begin with the initial forward movement of the feeder. There lwill thus be no lost motion in the feeding operation.

At the discharge end of the feed table I a stationary knife 3 8 having a beveled edge 39 between which and the table is a gap 40 normally closed by a block/41, which preferablyhas projections 42'formed thereon interlocking with similar projec-l tions 43 on the end ofthe table for the purpose of presenting an irregular or broken line atjtheir point of `intersection and pre `venting the fabric tarding the feeding operation.

The block 41 has a pivotal support 42 onl arms, dependmg. from` the carrier 44 andv the parts supported therebyin a raised .41 flush substantial at one end in the `the partsv is so timed from catching and rean arm 43y that is` mounted on a knife car- I rier 44 that is secured on a shaft 45. The

f block 41 also has a yieldingbearing 46 on one end of the arm 43', said bearing allowing the block to be depressed on its pivot 42 Awhich engages the face, of a cam 50 on the Shaft 12. A spring 51 normally holds the rod 47,

osition, with the block f withthe top of the feed table. A movable knife 52 is mounted carrier44 and has a bev-v eled edge tov make a shear cut with the .edge ofthe statonar knife 38. The blade of the knife 52 is pre erably flexible and the point of the knife is preferably bent outwardly to, overhang the by the tension of la r9d53 that ismounted atone end in the carrier 44 and has its opposite end fitted into a socket-,near the point of the knife` blade. The carrier 44 has a hub 54 secured on. a shaft 45 that is mounted to rock and slide lengthwise in adjustable. bearing sleeves 56,' (see Fig. 10) a spring 57 being provided between said hub and one of said bearing sleeves. l n

The'shaft- 45 may be moved lengthwise ,in elther direction and the tension of the spring 57 increased or decreased by the acljustment of `one of said sleeves in its bearing, the spring 57 operating to lioltl the knife blade yieldingly toward the. cutting edge of the stationary blade, the other sleeve servf ing as a stop for theknife. Y

Mounted in the m'achine frame aboveV and adjacent to the stationary knife is a shaft 59 having hubs 60 provided with bearings for an oscillating blade 61 provided with a beveled edge 62 the stationary knife by means of bolts 63 and adjusting screws 64. One of the hubs 60 is provided 'with an arm 'to' which a 1 vertically arrangedrod ,66 ispivotally connecte'd at its upper end, the lower end of said rod being connected to an arm67 that is mounted on the shaft 16 and is normally held in its depressed position by aspring 68. The arm 6T 'is providedl with 'an antiface of a cam T0 to hold said blade .inv its raised position. Thev 'movement of this(I blade 6]. is so timed thatl it will swing down toward the beveled edge of the stationary 1325 lower edge of the blade v61 contacting with 130 '70 'independently of its movement with the arm4` blade of the stationary knife journaled thereon and `v 11e I andadjustable toward and from the edge of friction roller 69l mounted to bear' on the the rear face of the rib will tilt it .out wardly, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 and momentarily grip the fabric' and' hold it against the edge of the make a shear cut through the. fabric.

blade 61, besides its function of bending the welt over the stationary knife preparatoryl to the severingoperation, also has the function when it bends the welt ofl drawing the fabric taut between the feeder and the point where V it is folded over the stationary knife. This i insures a uniform. length of theseveredsections. This will insure a uniform severing of the fabric into the cuff pieces and thevided with a series of pin points 72 which engage the severed piece of fabric and insure its delivery to the pile beneath.V

The shaft 71 is mounted to rock-in its bearings' and is operated through a pinion 73 and a rod 74 having a rack bar 75'. One end of the rod 74 is connectedjto an' arm 7 6 that .is mounted on the shaft' 16 and rovided with an arm 77 having an antiriction roller 78 that'is yieldingly held in engagement with the face of a cam 7 9 on the shaft 12 'iy a. spring 80. Through the mediumof this cam the arm 76 is rocked intermittently to swing the yoke 72 outwardly and deposit the severed pieces of fabric in a pile one upon another.- Y

For the purpose o f ada ting the machine for cui's of different lengt'i jI xprefer to provide a` yoke lhavin afseries of ingers 82 mounted to project the yoke 72 and form a support for the fabric pieces thereon. This yoke is adjustable in aperforated bar 83 by means of l a sliding pin 84 and a spring 8 5, said pin engaging the perforations in the bar and supporting the yoke at the desired elevation. The ends of the yoke are mounted in hubs 86 which are free to rock on the shaft 16 to allow the-yoke to `swing forward or backward thereon and accommodate itself to. the position -of the perforations in the plate 83. The severed pieces of fabric are preferably deposited by the yoke 7 2upon 'a carrier belt 87 operating horizontally.. on drums 88`and 89 which have bearings in the machine frameand for the purpose of regulating the number of cuff pieces deposited in a pile I prefer to provide means for Vjperating the carrier beltintermittently; The period of operation of the .belt may, of

statonaryknife while the movable knife is descendlngto etveen the wires in,.

course, be varied, but I prefer to provide a mechanism which will cause its operation when piles of fabric have been made containingy twentylfour pieces or two dozen, the garments being usually han'dledY in dozen lots and fractions of dozens.

The drum 88 has its hub securedon a shaft 90 and provided with. an annular flange 91 having a series of teeth 92 in its periphery. A dog 93 is pivoted at one end on one arm of a bell crank 94 that is loosely arm connected by a rod 95 with albell crank 96 that is pivoted on v the vshaft 27 and (rovided with an antifriction wheel 97w ich contacts with the lface of a cam 98 on the shaft 12. This dog 93, when allowed to drop mounted on the shaft 90and has its' opposite i down to a working position, will engage notch 92, and revolve the carrier belt drum and move the belt one step. Normally, this dog is held out of engagement with a notch.

92 by a roller 99 which rides upon an arm 100 that is .pivoted on a rod 101 on the machine frain'el'Y Aro/ller 102 is carried b the arm 100 Iand rides upon an annular fiange 103 of a hub104`that is loosely mounted on the shaft 90, saidllange having a recess 105 in its periphery to allow the roller 102 to drop therein and depress this arm 100 suffi; ciently to allow the dog 93 to en-gage. one of the notches. 92.A The hub 104 has a ratchet 106 thereon', provided with twenty-fourA teeth and a pawl 107-is pivoted on a bell crank 108 that is loosely mounted on thel 'shaft 90, so that when this bell crank is rocked, its movement in one ,direction willl engage the pawl 107 .with the teeth of the ratchet and revolve the-hub 104, and ,once in the revolution ofthe ratchet the roller-102 will drop into the recess 105 andfallow the dogI 93 to engage a tooth 92 and movethe -druni and the carrier belt one step.y This movement of the lcarrier bel-twill advance the pile of fabriceulfs lor pieces ontofv the path of the delivering device and permit the beginning of another pile.`

aos y `rIlle-bell crank 108 is connected by a rod i "10Q-with a bell crank 110 -also mounted on the shaft 27 and having an anti-friction bearing 11 upon a ca1n'112. It is sometimes desirable in case-there ,is a defect in oneof the fabric pieces to remove it from the pile and` cause the machine to feed another piece to the Same pile and thereby vprevent a break. i

in the count. This. I accomplish b 'providing a hand operated crank 113 lia-vinga flexible connect-ion 114 with the pawl 107'. Theoperator, noticing a defect in the piece V of fabric as it comes out of the machine, can

remove itfrom the pile and raise the oawl 107 and ttemporarilyarrest the movement of the ratchet' mechanismV until the machine hast delivered a perfectpiece of' fabric 11i-'place of the defective one. The count will then be i resumed.

I claim as my'invention:

1. In combination, with a feed table and a feeder operatin thereon having means to engage the raisec areas in a fabric to feed the same, a shearing blade, and means for automatically engaging the raised areas in the fabric to bend the same outwardly to clear said shearing blade.

2. The combination, with a feed table and a reciprocating feeder operating thereon to engage raised areas of a fabric to feed the saine, a stationary knife, a shearing knife cotperating therewith to sever the fabric, an means for bending the raised areas out of the path of-said shearing knife and tensioning the fabric between said feeder and the point of engagement of said bending means.

3. In combination with a feed table and a feeder operating thereon, a. stationary severing blade, a movable blade, and means for folding the fabric over said stationary blade preparatory to the severing operation, said means moving in the direction of travel of the fabric.

4. In combination with a feed table, a 'feeder operating thereover adapted to engage the raised areas of a fabric thereon to" feed the same, a stationary blade, means having a movement in the direction of travel of the .fabric for engaging said raised areas tombend them outwardly over said stationary blade, said stationary blade to sever the fabric.

5. Inv combination, with a feed table and means for feeding a fabric with raised areas thereon, a stationary blade having a cutting edge, a blade mounted to swing toward and from said stationary blade toV engage the raised areas of the fabric and clamp 1t over said stationary blade, and -a severing knife coperating with said stationary blade.

6. In combination with a feed table and astatignary' blade Whereto the fabric to be severed is delivered from said table, a gap being formed between said table and said blade, means normally closing saidgap for directing the fabric thereover, and over the edge of saidblade, a severing knife coperati'ng with' said stationary blade to sever the fabric, said gap closing means being mounted to move. and expose said-gap during the severing operation.

7. In combination with a feed table and a 'stationary blade Whereto the fabric tol be severed is delivered from said table, a gap being formed between said table and said blade, means normally closing said gap for directing .the fabric thereover end over the edge of said blade, a severlng knife coperatingr with said stationary blade', to severclosing means is and a, severing blade eperating with stationary knife spaced from the discharge end of said table, means normally filling the gap betWeernjsaid knife and table, a rocking carrier having an arm ivhereon said gap mounted, a movable knife mounted in said carrier, said gap closing means being Withdrawn from the opening in said table simultaneously with the descent of said movable knife.

9. The combination, with a feed table and a stationary knife spaced therefrom, a block normally closing the gap between said table and knife, a movable knife carrier, a knife lnounted therein, said carrier having an arm Whereon said gap closing means is yieldingly supported, and movable simultaneously With said carrier to expose the gap between said blade and table.

10. The combination, with a feed table over which the fabric to be severed is fed, of a Stationary blade spaced from said table, a movable blade cooperating with said stationary blade to sever the fabric, a block normally closing the gap between said table, a swinging blade for directing the fabric over said stationary blade, a support for said block having a hinged connection at one end therewith and a yielding support at the opposite end, and means for withdrawing said block from said gap simultaneously With the descent of said movable blade.

11. The combination, with a feed table, of a feeder mounted to engage ive-lts in afabric to feed the same over said table, a stationary member, a movable member having a limited stroke in the same direction substantially as the moving fabric and positioned 'to Contact With a welt and bend it over said stationary member to grip the fabric, said feeder returning to its initial feedto sever the fabric adjacent to said gripping means, saidgripping means bending thev Welt forwardly out of the path of said severing means.

13. Inv combination with a feed table, a. feeder operating to'engage the raised areas of a fabric to feed the same, a stationary member, 4means operatingin the direction .of the .moving -fab'ricfor engaging said raised areas: to fold them over said stationary Inember, and means coperating with said stationary member to sever the fabric.

14. The combination, With a reed table, of

a feeder mounted to engage Welt-il in the fabric to feed the same, a member having a ffsinroiie iii the direeiiieu eidieiaiiiiaiijy of the immiigfj fabric and imeiimied te eenzeei; with :1 Weit and bend it outwardly te grip Mie fabric, said feeder rei/mining te ite ini tzd i" 1mg position turing euch movemen and i1" me for eeveriiip; theiabi'ie adjneenj; le the welt so held.

if. The combination, with e feed table and L feeder operating: therein to raised miens'of :1 fabric te feed die Same, i511 ei'sfeke 0i? seid feedeir oirieegeiidizig euh idly to the distance between 'die ribs me 'liu iria said feeder in its backward mme ment Sliding- 2; over e raised Mee and posi0 timed to engage it upeilte initial forward,

mw. @mtimsaid wenfient, and Ineens inde. my :md a movable membei: e

ieieed "im ieneimiing the fabric te drew the @zuid raised aree egainei; the face of the. feeder.

Mi. Th1-i eombiimtiei1 inrit-ii e feed table,

und ineens fm feeding e ebiichaving Weite n. witneee whereof, l have hereunto set hm'xd this; 0th dw ef ecember, 1915.

FRANKLIN (UQA'IFELD.

-iiitnessee GENEVIEVE E. Semiwiqeiar? y EDWARD A. PAUL. 

